Process of coating metal objects.



" UNITED STATES BEST AVAILABLE COP Patented May 10, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE,

PROCESS .OF coATme METAL OBJECTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,528, dated May 10, 1904.

Application fi1edA 1-i127, labs. Serial No. 154,463. (Nospeeimens) To all whom, it vndy concern/5 Be it known that I, ALLEN JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Ottumwa, Wapello county, rows,

have invented a new and useful Process of Coating Metal Objects, of which thefollowi-ng is a specification. I r

The object of this invention is to provide an improved process for coating, finishing,- or covering objects made of sheet-steel, cast-iron, and the like. i A. a

A further object of this invention is to provide an approved process of finishing sheetsteel objects, the process being especiallyapplicable .to small objects of plain or irregularcontour. Y

A further object of this invention is to be found in the provision of a coat or finish for sheet-steel objects. l I ,p

A furtherobject of this invention is to be found in the jfprovision of a coated finished metal object.

My invention consists in the process of fin ishing or coating sheet-steel or other objects by applying to the surface thereof a mixture or fluid, such as binding liquid or varnish, and pulverized steel or scale.

My invention consists, further, in the coating for a sheet-steel or other object, which coating consists of a binding fluid, such as varnish, combined with pulverized steel or scale.

My invention consists, further, in, a sheetsteel or other object coated with a composition composed of binding fluid, such as varnish, and pulverized steel or scale.

There are many different objects manufactured from sheet-steel, cast-iron, and other substances which are small in size and perhaps irregular in shape and contour and which it is inconvenient or impossible to coat, finish, and dress in proper marketable condition at a reasonable cost or with a reasonable amount of labor. There are aconsiderable number of objects that may be manufactured from sheet-steel of a comparatively low grade and inexpensive quality to which a finish or coating may be applied that will give such objects the appearance of being made 5 from high grade and expensive material, and

when sofinished such objects are enhanced in value commercially. A a

In the practice of-my invention I assemble a quantity of objects made from sheet-steel ,or other metal in a rattling-box and rattle" the same in sawdust or other material for. the purpose of removing from the ob ects any superfluous grease or other foreign substance the process of their manufacture. When the objects come from the rattling-box they are coated with a pulverized substance,-probably produced by the grinding, rubbing, and

abrading of the scale or surface particles-of the object, and such pulverized substance may be removed by wiping and presents to the eye the appearance of steel-dust.

the surface of the object I assemble such objects in another and imperforate rattling-box.

and apply thereto a small quantity of binding liquid or fluid, such as common varnish,

the quantity of the fluid being variable according to the degree of finish desired to be applied to the object, but ordinarily approximating to one troy'ounce to one hundred pounds of the objects. I then rattle the quantity of objects thus moistened by the application of approximately one ounce of varnish for a period of about one hour. After the objects have been rattled the desired length of time they are removed from the rattling box and deposited in such position that atmospheric air may circulate freely among the objects and dry the surfaces thereof. When removed from the last rattling-box, the objects Without removing the pulverized substance from that may have accumulated thereon'during,

appear to the eye to be coated by a dark-colored j liquid, and close inspection proves u h liquid L to be composed of an admixture 01 r, varnish with the pulverized substance previously adhering to such surface. The process of rattling the last time-spreads the varnish thoroughly and with practical uniformity throughout the surfaces of the various pieces or objects contained in the rattling-box, and when such surfaces of the objects and the coating thereof are dried the result is a finish similar to that of planished-steel material and considerably superior to the surface of the steel in its original stat from which'the objects are made. In de oping this process I have employed sheetsteel of Bessemer open-hearth variety, which steel is of comparatively low grade and inexpensive price. In the manufacture of the objects from such steel and the rattling of the manufactured object a scale of flaky substance peels from the surface thereof and becomes pulverized. The sheet-steel from which the objects are made is of mottled and variegated appearance, while the objects when finished as above described present a uniformly dark appearance, with little or no variety throughout the surface. The finishing-coat applied as hereinbefore described protects thesteel from oxidizing or rusting, enhances its appearance, and increases its commercial value.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the particular fluid above named nor to the exact means employed to apply such 6 uid tothe surface of the manufactured objects,

since various binding liquids or fluids, such as varnish and shellac of different qualities, may be employed, and the coating may be produced by rubbing, abrading, orrattling the objects moistened by such fluid in divers and various ways.

- My process is peculiarly adapted to the coating of devices of. irregular contours and shapes in that the composition spreads through the process of rattling uniformly throughout both the convex and concave portions ofthe object.

While the foregoing procedure is that usually followed, yet the binding liquid may be applied without preliminary rattling of the objects or with but one rattling, since in the rattling of the objects to effect the desired distribution of the liquid enough scale or surface particles will be removed to accomplish the desired result. Also even though the pulverized substance produced by the first rattling is wiped off of the objects the process of rattling to distribute the liquid will cause f u rther abrasion suflieient to charge the liquid with a desirable quantity of solids.

I claim as my invention 1. The process of finishing and coloring metal objects, which process consists in placing in a rattler the objects to be coated together with a binding liquid, then distributing the liquid by rattling and at the same time abrading a portion of the metal from the objects being coated, thereby coating the objects with a mixture of liquid and material abraded from said objects.

2. The process of finishing sheet metal or other objects, which process consists in rattling a quantity of such objects and thereby removing and grinding the scale thereof, then moistening such objects with a binding liquid, and then rattling a quantity of such moistened objects and thereby spreading the moistened scale and pulverized metal over the surface thereof, and then drying said objects.

Signed by me at Ottumwa, Iowa, this 23d day of April, 1903.

ALLEN JOHNSTON. Witnesses:

W. S. HORNE, Tnos. RODGERS. 

